Pope Francis expressed this Wednesday (10/11/2023) his concern about the siege experienced by Palestinians in Gaza, while calling for the “immediate” release of the hostages captured in Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas.
“I ask that the hostages be released immediately,” declared the Supreme Pontiff. “I follow with pain and concern what is happening in Israel and Palestine and so many dead and wounded people. I pray for the families who saw a day of celebration transformed into a day of mourning,” he said at the end of the general audience in the Plaza de Saint Peter of the Vatican in statements collected by the Efe and Afp agency.
Francis also assured that “those who have been attacked have the right to defend themselves”, although he expressed his concern about the total siege in which the Palestinians of Gaza live, where there are also many innocent victims,” he declared.
“Terrorism and extremism do not contribute to achieving a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but rather they fuel hatred, violence and revenge, and make both of them suffer,” he stressed to the faithful from several countries.
The number of deaths in Israel due to Saturday’s surprise attack by the Islamist movement Hamas this Wednesday exceeded 1,200 and the injured exceeded 3,000, while the Israeli bombings in Gaza have already caused 1,055 deaths and at least 5,184 injuries.
The death toll in Israel, reported by local media citing emergency medical services, marks a significant increase compared to the last report, which had confirmed around 900 deaths.
On the Gazan side, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported this Wednesday that so far it has recorded 1,055 deaths due to Israeli retaliatory bombings and at least 5,184 injured.
